Just diagnosed with copd a week ago.

ask your GP to refer you to PULMARY REHAB. They are specialist nurses who run a light fitness and medication  education course , and breathing technics ,You'l find a lot of us on here have done the course ,and that's what got me / us into exersise , yes you will have your set backs like chest infections etc ,but if you eat well ,take your medication ,and exersise you should do ok ,as for the numbers ,,,I haven't got a clue what stage I'm at etc I go by how I'm feeling ,numbers mean nothing to me ,like if they said you've only got 50% lung capacity I'd be worrying about the 50% I've got left etc !so until I need to know ,,,,,they can keep in the dark ,

you've come to the right place for comments and some will offer advise ,

the worst thing you can do is worry about it !so don't just there in your chair !the best thing is to get out and about !you'll be ok !I wish you well ,

I'm 55 now and was diagnosed almost a year ago come Sept. Don't freak out or worry too much...with good care you can live a long time. But you do need to see a lung Dr and have a lung function test done so you will know where you are at and learn about some of those numbers. I was depressed and devestated at first too but I quickly learned after researching and talking to people on sites like this that it's gonna be ok. I smoked too until the day I was diagnosed...for over 36 years, but I quit that day and my COPD numbers and symptoms actually got a bit better bc of quitting. But, please keep in mind when you stop smoking is probably the only time you may see better numbers bc this disease normally does not get better. You can hopefully maintain where you are right now for as long as possible with medication or oxygen if needed....but it can also go downhill if you dont take care. But now you know...and you quit smoking and the Pulmonologist will get you the right meds and you'll learn so much to help stay where you are. Please keep us posted...this is a good site to share on. Ladyjack51

I was diagnosed several years back, can't really remember how many.  I was in total

absolute denial about it due to also finding out that there were several other chronic

diseases happening and being diagnosed one after the other, which I am not going to get into here as this site is for copd.  For some unknown reason my system/body cannot tolerate many meds., ie. the majority of them, pills, inhalers, etc. make me worse rather than better.  In some cases much worse.

Going to get to the positive part now; I have copd, not sure what wording to use

here, caused from?  due to?  chronic bronchitis growing up.  I outgrew the bronchitis at approximately 19 years of age or thereabouts.  I too smoked a least

a pack of cigarettes per day for many, many years.  I have one puff of ventolin

(inhaler) upon rising in the morning and that's it as far as meds for me!  The

doctors have tried many different inhalers, meds. etc. but none of them agree

with me, the majority of them make my breathing worse and come, for me, with

many other terribe side affects.  The point I am going to get to is that as, think it

was Nanny said, this is an individualistic disease, meaning that it affects each and

every one of us in a different way.  I don't exercise a lot unless you count looking

after a large home and yard and running up and down 14 stairs at least 10 times

a day!  When I finally accepted that I have copd I too was devastated - for a while.

Now I choose to live my life as best I can and not concentrate on the many chronic illnesses that I have.  I eat well, sleep well and try to remain positive.

When I first accepted my diagnosis I was on this site A LOT and it did help me;

however, I realized that I was focusing too much on it and choose now to be

discriminating in my usage of this site.  I wish you all the best. 

When I was diagnosed I was very worried as well but the doctor said something else would probably get me first like old age!  So while I understand how you are feeling about such a diagnosis,  once you come to terms with it you will realise that you can still have qualify of life.  

You need to ask what your lung function is - FEV1 and your FVC - forced vital capacity.   Then ask what stage you are at.   There is mild,  moderate,  severe and very severe.  You are probably only at the mild stage and as such it will be unlikely to will get a referral to a consultant.  My surgery certainly has a policy of only referring to a consultant if they can no longe handle my care. 

Lastly please don't google indiscriminately as you will just end up scaring yourself silly - stick to recognised sites like this one and NHS etc.  (providing you are in the UK that is!).    Bev x

I was diognosed with mild copd in April this year I had smoked for many years I am 55 years old

At the time I was of diognoises I was in bits I have stopped smoking and finally getting on with my life I am still working as domestic in a hospital and hope to continue you will be fine do not let it worry you copd is a umbrella term for many things I do not need any medication at the moment witch is good all I can say is leave the cigs alone and don't dwell on it you can probe by do everything you could before beingg told you have copd

Many years ago it was just diognosed as chest complaint it's being labeled as copd that scares us all

I find reading the comments on here helps me a lot my brother is 54 suffering with server copd and I have promised myself and grandchild I will never get like that do think positive and you will learn how to control this terrible dieses in your own way

Take care and keep in touch xx

So pleased you made the sensible choice to quit.

My Mother had COPD, and sadly didn't listen.

As others have said here, you can hold it back for a good long time with exercising your lungs and eating good food to help your body fight back.

Good luck with the Doc, and let us know how you get on.